A big-eyed, oversized-eared monster swept across the net and now it’s in India officially. Say hello to Labubu, an elf-like troublemaking creature born in the mind of Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, that has become a global collectible phenomenon. And no, it’s not simply another toy it’s culture, it’s hype, it’s art, and it’s emotion to many of its fans.
The Origin of Labubu
Labubu originally surfaced in 2015 via Kasing Lung’s illustrated fantasy world titled The Monsters, deeply inspired by Nordic lore. Labubu would be a half-monkey, half-beast and immediately gained popularity for its quirky and lovable feature: wide smile, unkempt fur, short stature, and large expressive eyes. It was creepy, it was cute, but most importantly, it was different.
First introduced as art toys by boutique company How2Work, Labubu really took off in popularity after it collaborated with Chinese toy company Pop Mart in 2019. Pop Mart distributed it in blind-box collectibles, or the purchaser never knows which version they are getting, and this generating a frenzy and a thriving secondary market for the rare versions.
How Labubu Became a Trend
Labubu is now a global fashion icon, not just a name anymore, today. The likes of BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Dua Lipa, Rihanna, and even Kim Kardashian have been seen collecting them. Some of the rare ones have gone up to ₹1.4 crore (approximately $170,000). But Indians are not far behind, Labubu madness within the Indian Bollywood community is also going haywire from Karan Johar, Ananya Pandey, Diet Sabya, Sophie Chaudhry, Sharvari Wagh, Twinkle Khanna, Zohara Jamal, Dolly Singh, and Tejasswi Prakash. Twitter has been flooded with unboxing videos, fan arts, and styling reels of Labubu.
In fact, Labubu is officially out in India now, and fans are already queuing up to get their paws on:
•Pop Mart India and LabubuIndia.in are providing series such as Big Into Energy, Have a Seat, and Exciting Macaron.
•Blind boxes cost between ₹1,900 and ₹3,000.
•Collectors also purchase from Bear Hugs, Amazon India, and eBay, where collector sets reach ₹17,999 or more.
•Weekly online drops at Pop Mart, coupled with express delivery in metros, keeps the frenzy going.
Why the Hype?
Labubu is beautiful in that it has an emotional quality, every variation of it tells a story. From sleeping bunny to using it even as a punk rock, Labubu is a mood thing. To Gen Z and young millennials, it is not merchandise, it is a collectible journal, mood board, and even sometimes therapy.
So the next time you see a small, big-eyed creature on someone’s shelf or reel, you’ll understand that Labubu isn’t a toy. It’s a feeling.
